Support



July 7, 1936. C W N F 2,046,825

SUPPORT Filed March 19, 1935 lnuenlar: Z5 CZ/NTON W. KNEFF;

Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 19,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to supports, and more particularly to those which are used for holding burettes and similar laboratory equipment, although not limited thereto.

In using various types of laboratory equipment, such as burettes and the like, considerable expense and trouble is brought about by breakage, due to the many failings of the supporting devices of the prior art. One of the inherent characteristics of such devices is that they lose efficiency under relatively heavy loads; or from long periods of usage. There have been numerous attempts to device a support of this type which will obviate these disadvantages, but until the present time none have been met with material success.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a novel support which is particularly adapted for holding burettes and the like,

and which operates in a highly efficient manner whether the load is heavy or otherwise.

Another object is toprovide a novel and inexpensive support of the class described which is light in weight, extremely simple in operation,

and one which will prove to be very durable in service.

These and further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation.

Figure 3 is a plan.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 2 designates a vertical base member which is adapted to carry the various elements of the device of the invention. The base member 2 is suitably secured to, or otherwise carried by, a base 3 which is adapted to rest upon a table, or bench.

The vertical base member 2 is provided with a pair of upper and lower relatively alined studs, or rivets, as at 5 and 6, respectively.

A curved lever I is pivotally mounted adjacent one of its ends 8 to the stud 5, and has on its other end a downwardly curved extension 9.

A lever I2 is pivotally mounted adjacent one of its ends I3 to the stud 6, and while of substantially the same length is preferably straight in lieu of the curved construction of the lever I.

The levers 1 and I2 are extended angularly from the base member 2 and connected in spaced relationship by a link I4, through suitable studs, or rivets, as at I5 and I6, respectively. The connection of the stud IE to the curved lever 1 is be- 55 tween its end 8 and downwardly curved extension 1935, Serial No. 11,836

9, while the connection of the stud I6 to the lever I2 is in vertical alinement with the stud I5. This provides a straight extension H on the end of the lever I2 opposite its pivoted end I3, which serves as a handle-portion. :5

Each of the upper and lower ends of the link I4, which are indicated at I8 and I9, respectively, carries a right-angularly extending gripping member 20 which is secured thereto by an integral deformable shank H on one of its ends. The 10 gripping members 26 are substantially V-shaped in a horizontal plane, as shown at 22, and are relatively alined with respect to the vertical.

The downwardly curved extension 9 of the curved lever I carries a right-angularly extendl5 ing straight gripping member 23, which is secured thereto by an integral deformable shank 24 on one of its ends.

The pair of gripping members 20 on the link I4 and the single gripping member 23 on the downwardly curved extension 9 of the curved lever I are all preferably covered with rubber, or a like substance, as indicated at 26.

In operation, the straight extension or handleportion H of the lever I2 is raised which, through the link I4, raises the curved lever I. This movement causes the downwardly curved extension 9 of the curved lever I to move away from the link M in an arcuate path.

A burette X, or similar piece of equipment, is placed in the V-shaped portions 22 of the vertically alined gripping members 20, and the handle-portion H of the lever I2 lowered. The lowering of the handle-portion I'I causes the downwardly curved extension 9 of the curved lever I to move toward the link I4 in an arcuate path. As this movement of the downwardly curved extension 9 is continued, the single and straight gripping member 23, which is carried thereby, is brought into contact with the burette X on its side opposite the gripping member 20, and intermediate the latter.

It will be seen that, due to the arcuate move-- ment of the downwardly curved extension 9 of the curved lever I, the burette X will be gripped with a pressure directly commensurate with its weight. This movement of the downwardly curved extension 9, together with the simultaneous downward movement of the link I4, permits the device of the invention to efficiently grip and support loads ranging from the lightest and thinnest thermometer to a large and most heavily laden burette. I

While I have shown and described certain spe- QifiG embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A support for burettes and the like, comprising a base member, a curved lever pivotally mounted on said base member and arranged to extend angularly therefrom, a gripping element carried by said curved lever remote from its pivotal mounting, a second lever pivotally mounted on said base member and arranged to extend angularly therefrom, a link connecting said levers, and a plurality of substantially spaced gripping elements carried by said link.

2. A support for burettes and the like, comprising a base member, a curved lever pivotally mounted on said base member, a gripping element carried by said curved lever, a second lever pivotally mounted on said base member in spaced relationship with respect to said first named lever, a link connecting said levers, said link being arranged in substantial parallelism with said base member, and a plurality of substantially spaced gripping elements carried by said link.

3. A support comprising a base member, a lever pivotally mounted on and extending angularly from said base member, a second lever pivotally mounted on and extending angularly from said base member, said second named lever being in spaced relationship with respect to said first named lever, a pivoted link connecting said levers, at least one gripping element carried by one of said levers, and at least one gripping element carried by said link, said levers and link being movable in a plane which is substantially co-extensive with the axis of the object to be supported.

4. A support comprising a base member, a lever pivotally mounted on and extending angularly from said base member, a second lever pivotally mounted on and extending angularly from said base member, said second named lever being in spaced relationship with respect to said first named lever, a pivoted link connecting said levers in spaced relationship, said link having an extension from each of said levers, a gripping element carried by each of said extensions, and a gripping element carried by said link, said levers and link being movable in a plane which is sub stantially co-extensive with the axis of the object to be supported.

CLINTON W. KNEFF. 

